Monday, December 29, 2014

Hi Friends!! Today I have something so special to share with you! The start of a Guest Post series called Transformation Series: Mind, Body and Soul.

I thought what better way to start off the new year than with some truly inspirational transformations from my fellow sisters in Christ!

Though this world puts a lot of emphasis on physical transformations, I decided to focus on the most important Transformations of our Minds, Body's and Souls in Christ. Transformations caused by the love of Jesus changing their lives!

Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is--his good, pleasing and perfect will.

Romans 12:2

When Christ enters our lives there must be a transformation -- from a sinner to a saved by grace Child of God who is no longer dead but ALIVE!

These ladies testimonials speak to my heart and I hope they will touch yours in some way too!

I was born into a Southern Baptist family. My mother made
sure that my brother and I were in church every time the doors were open. That
meant we went to Sunday School and church on Sunday mornings, Bible study/Bible
drill on Sunday nights, and Children’s activities when I was younger, youth as
I got older on Wednesday nights. We NEVER missed. That stayed with me when I
went to college. I found a church and got involved there too.

Growing up,
I’d go through phases where I’d feel close to God and phases where I’d feel
like my prayers weren’t going any farther than the ceiling. I experienced
feelings of depression and desperation, where something was going to have to
give before I just completely fell apart.

As I got older, that far away
feeling seemed to happen more and more often. I was still going to church, but
there came a point where it was basically just me going through the motions. I
was there, but no matter how much I prayed and cried and pleaded with God to
show me His presence, I just didn’t feel it.

Things at
home weren’t so great either. There was a constant cloud of negativity
lingering over my home and family. Things were going downhill- and fast. I was
desperate to find some way to change things.

This is
where my story truly begins. In the Summer 2011, I met a wonderful man- who
just wanted a friendship. He was going through a tough time- and I certainly
wasn’t going to get involved with him, he’d been married twice before. (Never
say never to God- He has a sense of humor!)

This
wonderful man and I started hanging out more and more and eventually (once
things settled down on his end), we started dating. Yes- I said I’d never date
him- and here I was, falling in love. During our dating, he came to the Baptist
church with me a few times and I started going to the Catholic Church with him
and his family. (Which is funny because before he and I met, he had not been
going to church). When I was in church with him and his family- it was like a
cool drink of water. I felt a peace that I had not felt in many years. I felt a
calling from God to make this Church my home.

In the Fall
of 2012, I started attending RCIA (Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults)
classes at the Catholic Church to learn more about the faith and consider
converting. At the Easter Vigil service in 2013, I made my Confirmation and
First Communion. Since that time, I’ve grown so much in my faith. I’ve gotten
so much closer to God than I ever dreamed possible.

Remember
that wonderful man I met back in 2011? Well, he proposed to me November 2012
and we scheduled our wedding for November 2013. In May 2013, we made our
Catholic Engaged Encounter (a Catholic marriage preparation weekend), and
immediately knew that God was calling us to become involved in this wonderful
ministry. Our wedding ended up getting moved up due to circumstances with the
mom of his youngest son, so in July 2013, we said our vows. I promised to love
him and his boys for the rest of my life. The first weekend we worked Catholic
Engaged Encounter was October 2013.

Shortly
after we got married, we picked out a devotional (The Love Dare) and began to
read it every night before going to bed. As you probably already know,
Catholics offer Mass every day, so we took the daily Mass readings and began
reading the Daily Psalms after our devotional every single night. We missed 3
days in one entire year (and we didn’t miss the devotional readings for that
day because they weren’t dated). Now, we’re on our second devotional book
(Together for Good).

Fast-forward
to the Fall of this year (2014). The Catholic Church offers a retreat called
Cursillos de Christiandad every year. They have separate retreats for men and
women- two per year here in our Diocese (Fall in Mobile, Spring in Holy
Trinity, AL). So, my husband was able to get into the Men’s weekend without any
problems. The women’s weekend always fills up quickly- so I was placed on the
waiting list.

We prayed
and prayed- and prayed some more. I was still on the waiting list when my
husband left for his Cursillo weekend. He prayed while he was there, he had his
group praying for me, I prayed while he was gone….I was still on the waiting
list when he got home. The weekends are two weeks apart- so, a week after he
got home, the “FINAL” list for the women’s weekend was out. I was still on the
waiting list.

At that
point, I gave up. That Sunday morning, I got up and spent some time alone in
prayer with God. I said, “God, I give up.
I’ve worried. I’ve cried. I’ve begged for you to open up a way for me to get on
this weekend. I’m done. The final list is out. I’m not on it. It’s entirely in
your hands now. I’m not going to even think about it anymore. Amen”

That truly
was it for me. I was done. I did not think about it at all on Sunday, Monday,
or Tuesday. On Tuesday night, when we got home from our Revelation Bible Study,
there was a message on the machine from the Deacon who was sponsoring both of
us. He wanted me to call him as soon as I was able.

So, I did.
There was a spot that had opened up at the last minute- would I be available to
go? Of course, I said yes. See, I’m a freelance writer, and in faith (before I
said that Sunday morning prayer), I had already told my clients I would not be
working that weekend.

I packed up
my clothes on Wednesday and Thursday and left on Thursday night for my Cursillo
weekend. It was wonderful to be able to spend time with God and with other
Christian women- who knew that other women had the same struggles that I do? It
blew my mind!

During the
weekend, God spoke to me in some powerful ways. He revealed to me that there are
some things that I have not let go of just yet. I’ve always been a bit of a
control freak, so it’s hard for me to completely let go and trust God
sometimes. He kept telling me- “See? You
let it go and stopped stressing and I got you here, didn’t I? See what happens
when you simply trust me?

One of the
things I was stressing out about was my writing. For several years, I’ve
desperately wanted to start a blog of my own. I’ve tried- and failed- several
times. I was no longer actively trying, but it was still in the forefront of my
mind. I had been writing for one blog for a while, but still wanted to do my
own. That’s one of the things I gave over to God that weekend. I came home
still with no clue what I was going to do with it, but knowing that God would
reveal it to me in His time. That Monday morning, I woke up and there it was: I
had a clear title and topic for my blog.

Since my
husband and I both made our Cursillo retreat this fall, we’ve added the nightly
Cursillo prayers to our readings each night. So, in all, we probably spend
about 30 minutes total talking to God and to each other every night. Our
marriage has been greatly enriched by this time together. God is using our
marriage and our love for each other to touch other people- even those not
involved in our Church/ministries. People tell us all the time that they can
see God in our marriage- they can see that we have something truly special.

I guess my whole point in all
this is that here I am, in my mid-30s, and I finally am “getting it.” Though
I’ve always had faith and a relationship with Christ, its finally all falling
into place and making sense to me. All God wants is for us to love and trust
Him and He will be able to use us for His glory. I keep hearing it over and
over, “See what happens when you trust
ME? See what happens when you stop freaking out over the small stuff?” So,
there’s still A LOT of work that God needs to do with me, but I’m growing more
and more every single day.

Every day, I just try to be an
example of God’s love and grace to everyone- especially through my blog. God
called me to write the blog- and He provides me with the topics most of the
time. There are some days that I feel like maybe I’m writing just to write, but
then there are those days where God clearly says: “You need to share that with the ones reading your blog.” I just
want everyone to know that God has a plan for everyone- when we pray, we have
to learn to truly let it go and TRUST God- not try to create the outcome that
we want, but know that God will provide the outcome that is best for us.

--Krista

About Krista:

My name is Krista
"KK" Mounsey blessed to be married to a wonderful man named Michael.
I am also blessed to be bonus mom to three wonderful boys: Thomas, Michael, and
Nathaniel. Since I was a child, I always wanted nothing more than to be a wife, mom, and
writer.

In 2012, my dreams began to come true when Michael asked me to be his
wife. In July 2013, we said "I do" and in October 2013, we had our
marriage blessed in the Catholic Church. In all that we do, we
strive to put God first and foremost- and always know that without Him, we are
nothing....but with Him, we can do ANYTHING. I am looking forward to the
adventures that God has planned for us.

Michael and I are
involved in Catholic Engaged Encounter in the Mobile Archdiocese. We believe
that marriage preparation is a very important and necessary part of the
process. I am currently a
blogger at 50 Things to Know Mom Reviews & Giveaways and I also have my own
blog, Growing in Grace and Beauty that I write on. I have written four Scriptural
Reflection Books and have more in process.

Michael and I live in
Daphne, Alabama with our Chiweenie, Bella Rose. I also make beaded jewelry and
do monogramming and Michael makes rosaries.

3 comments:

Wow Christa! That's an amazing story. I am Catholic. You don't hear too often of Southern Baptist becoming Catholic. It's amazing and wonderful how God works and his plan for us! I am born and raised Catholic. I love hearing and reading about people's faith!